Chimney construction



Nov. 14, 1944. i F. G. LANDWEHR 2,362,833 I CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 16, 1944 inventor Frank G Landau/uattorney Patented Nov. 14, '1944 I UNITEDJ STATES PATENT.v OFFICE CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION Frank G. Landwehn netroitgllfich.

- Application February 16, 1944, Serial No. 522,649

6 Claims.

This invention relates to chimney constructions and particularly to rectangular chimneys as extended through pitched roofs.

It is obviously desirable that a parallel relation 7 be established between the walls of a rectangular chimney and those of a building equipped with the chimney, and that practice has been commonly followed for at least several centuries. Where such a chimney extends through a pitched roof, however, the aforementioned relation results in formation of a horizontally elongated valley between the chimney and roof portion sloping upwardly therefrom, this being objectionable from a drainage standpoint. Moisture tends'to stand in such a valley, snow accumulates and ice forms therein, and it provides a trap for leaves and dust which increase moisture retention. Roof leaks consequently develop more readily in such valleys than in almost any part of a pitched roof. This detriment has long been recognized by builders and sheet metal saddle members have been employed by a few builders to eliminate the valleys above discussed. Such saddle members are not considered a satisfactory solution of the problem, because they eventually rust and they complicate-the roofing job, taking it outside the skill of the average, roofer.

The present invention eliminates the objectionable horizontal valleys without resorting to specially designed sheet .metal structures and without requiring other than ordinary flashing, and provides a drainage materially superior to that derived from use of saddle members.

, Furthermore, the present invention provides a permanent solution of the problem and one not requiringthe services of any skilled artisan other than would always be needed for erection of a chimney.

My improved construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a chimney employing my improved construction and of the adjacent portion of a pitched roof.

Fig. 2 is a viewof the construction in sec-' tional elevation, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a special typ of molded chimney block used in my improved construction.

In these views, the reference character I designates a pitched roof through which extends the brick upper portion 2 of a rectangular of the roof, whereby such valleys 3 as are formed by the intersections of the chimney faces and roof have a pitch only slightly less than that of the roof. Thus said valleys have good drainage such as will-flush out any debris that may lodge therein. The lower portion 4 of the chimney is also rectangular and as illustrated is comprised of concrete blocks, each forming a complete section of the chimney. The portion 4 conforms to common practice in that its relatively transverse exterior faces are respectively parallel and transverse to thepitch of the roof, saidportion comprising a major portion of the chimney and terminating some distance below the roof. The portion 2, comprising a minor portion of the chimney, is upwardly spaced from the portion 4 and preferably terminates just below the roof. Supporting the portion 2 on the portion 4' areseveral blocks 5, formed of masonry and preferably concrete, three such blocks beingpreferably employed. The blocks 5 are of identical construction and form a unit having four equidistant edges correspondingly spiraled about the ,chimney axis'so as to register at top and bottom of the unit with the vertical edges of the portions 2 and 4 respectively. The exterior faces of the blocks 5 are curved as required by said spiral edges, affording registration of said faces at top and bottom of said unit with exterior faces of the portions 2 and 4. The smoke passage 6 of the chimney extends cylindrically and uniformly through the portion 4 and ,unit5 but assumes a rectangular form in extending through the brick upper portion of the chimney. V

Chief merit of the described construction is its simplicity. The few spiral edged blocks required are easily molded and add no complexity to the work of chimney building. The fact that the exterior portion of the improved chimney is askew to the extent of forty-five degrees with respect to the interior lower portion does not atall detract from the appearance of the chimney, and a permanent remedy is obviously provided for the leakage problem created by prior practice.

What I claim is':

1. In combination with a pitched roof; a masonry chimney comprising a substantially rectangular major portion upwardly extending toward said roof and having two of its exterior faces substantially parallel to the pitch of the roof, a substantially rectangular minor portion intersecting'and upwardly extending from the roof and having an approximate forty-five degree divergency of its exterior faces to those rality of masonry blocks of like construction andsuperposed one onanother.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, the smoke passage of the major and connecting portions of the chimney being of circular cross section and substantially coaxial in the two said portions.

5. A molded chimney block having substantially parallel rectangular upper and lower faces and centrally formed with a smoke passage opening in said faces, said faces being predeterminedly askew with respect to the axis of said passage and the block having substantially spiral edges interconnecting the corners of said faces.

6. A chimney block as set forthin claim 5, the block having dead air spaces formed outwardly of its smoke passage and opening in the corner portions of said faces, said passages being spiraled conformingly to said spiral edges.

FRANK G. LANDWEI-IP. 

